Elizabeth "Betsy" Boden McGehee, 81, a woman of quick wit, sharp tongue and generous spirit, died peacefully of complications from covid-19 and COPD at her home at The Oaks at Ashton Hills in Covington, Ga., on Dec. 6, 2020.
Betsy was born to Elizabeth Hathhorn Boden and William Tenent Boden Jr. on Sept. 22, 1939, in Louisville, Ky. She attended National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C. and Atherton High School in Louisville. She attended Northwestern University and graduated from Transylvania University in 1961 with concentrations in English and history.
It was at Transylvania that she met her future husband, Larry Thomas McGehee. Throughout their marriage, they were equal partners, and she was a "right hand" to him in his work as a college administrator and professor at the University of Alabama, the University of Tennessee-Martin, the University of Tennessee system and Wofford College.
They spent the first years of married life in New Haven, Conn., where Larry completed graduate studies at Yale University and she taught high school. Later in life, Betsy worked part time in the mayor's office in Knoxville, Tenn., and at the Music Foundation of Spartanburg, S.C. She volunteered in numerous capacities everywhere she lived, including as a Girl Scout troop leader and candy striper.
She had a deep appreciation for learning and was a voracious reader, which led to a 3-day run on "Jeopardy!" in 1965, when she was pregnant with her first daughter, Elizabeth. The money she won helped pay the hospital bill when Elizabeth was born. One of her favorite activities was working the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper. She was famous for her beautifully written, engaging correspondence.
As expansive as her mind was her talent. She was crafty long before crafts were cool--an impressive needlepointer, calligrapher, decorator--and she made every Christmas magical. Mamoo, as she was also known, loved sending books to her favorite (and only) grandson.
Betsy was also a study in contrasts. She had a perfect sense of style, taste, manners and decorum, but also was fiery, independent, strong, and sometimes downright crass — and she reared her two daughters in that mold. She was also their fiercest advocate, supporter, and PR manager.
If you needed advice, Betsy was a straight shooter. In fact, so many people came to her for an ear or support over the years that she used to joke that she had a sign on her forehead saying "Talk to Me."
A lifelong Democrat, she was finally able to make her vote count, in Georgia, in the 2020 election.
Betsy is survived by her daughter Elizabeth (Washington, D.C.), daughter Molly, son-in-law Daniel Parson, and grandson Benjamin Hathhorn Parson (Oxford, Ga.), sister-in-law Neda Triplett and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, three brothers, and two sisters-in-law.
Betsy's family would like to extend its deepest gratitude to her many friends, the caregivers at The Oaks and the staff at Southern Grace Hospice who made her final year and days peaceful and happy.
A memorial service is not scheduled at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elizabeth B. and Larry T. McGehee Endowed Scholarship Fund at Wofford College or to the Transylvania University Development Office.
This obituary was prepared with love and affection by Mrs. McGehee's family.
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